Contact device for electric switches



June 15 1926.

W. J. GIBBONS CONTACT DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC SWITCHES Filed Feb. 2. 1922 2Sheets-Sheet l I N V ENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Jfine l5 1926.

, W. J. 'GIBBONS CONTACT DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC SWITCHES Filed Feb. 2. 19222 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N V EN TOR. /4/lrmm ,MW

A TTORNE Y.

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Patented June 15, I 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM J. GIBBONS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CONTACT DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC SWITCHES.

Application filed February 2, 1922. Serial No. 533,592.

6 are in engaged or interlocked relation the adjacent opposing surfacesthereof shall be in continuous contact throughout the r entire length. Afurther object of the invention is.to provide means to prevent unneces-1 sary sparking at the moment of disconnection of the parts of theswitch. 1 1

Without endeavoring to point out at this point all of theobjects of theinvention, I shall proceed to a description of the same, and in orderthat the invention may be more readily understood and its advantagesfully appreciated, reference f will be made to the accompanying drawingsin which certain forms of devices embodying the principle of theinvention are shown.

i It will be understood that various changes may be made in the detailsof construction within the scope of the claims without departing fromthe said invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in pers ective of a contact device for electric'switces embodying my invention;

. Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of a modified construction of switch deviceembodying my invention;

switches in Fig. 4; a

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on the. line 66 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing an additional slightly modifiedconstruction of switch device embodying the invention;

Fig. 8 is a central vertical sectional view taken in a planeintermediate and parallel with the opposite sides of the switch deviceshown in Fig. 7

Fig. 9 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 9.-9 of Fig.8;

Fig. 10 is'a view in side elevation of still another modifiedconstruction of contact device embodying the invention;

the switch device is adapted to co-operate.

Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation ofthe,

Fig. 11 is a longitudinal view'taken on the line 11 11 of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 1s a view in edge elevation of the contact device shown in Figs.10 and 11; 5 i

and

Fig. 13 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 1313 of Fig.10.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawings, 1 designates an inner springcontact member 00.

and 2 an outer supplemental controlling spring member.

The member 1 comprises a base portion 3 and upwardly extending sideportions 4 arranged in general parallel relation with re- 05 spect toeach other and terminating at their upper ends in downwardly extendingoppositely disposed portions 5 with which the co-operating plug member(not shown) of Thebase portion 3 rests upon an intermediate base portion6 of the member 2, and may be secured thereto by any suitable means, asby a rivet 7. The member 2 also comprises oppositely disposed upwardlyex- 76 tending end portions 8, which are situated adjacent or in contactwith the lower por tions of the opposite edges of the sides 4 of themember 1.] The said opposite end portions 8 are provided with slits,which ex- 30 tend inwardly from the opposite edges thereoftowardeachother so as to form tongues 9 and 10, which tongues are arranged inpairs asshown and are situated on opposite sides of the opposite edgeportions'of these downwardly e'tending portions 5 of the; member 1. l

It will be seen that the inwardly extend mg and oppositely disposedtongues 9 and 10 are situated adjacent to or in contact with .the outersides of the depending portions 5 of the member 1 and tend to retain thesame 1n parallel relation to each other upon the insertionofa'co-opera-ting contact plug employed to make and break an electric circuit and also tends to prevent deformation of the construction as aresult of continued usage. By thus holding the depending portions 5 insubstantially parallel relation with respect to each other as described,it will be seen that upon removal of a contact plug from between thesaid parts 5 the separation when it takes place is efiected instantlyand not gradually, thereby preventing sparking between the said plugmember and the said spring contact part of the switch.

Referring now to Figs. 4, 5 and 6, 15 designates an inner spring platecontact member and 16 an outer spring plate controlling member. Themember 15 comprises a base portion 17 and oppositely disposed upwardlyextending sides, the lower portions 18 of which converge as shown, whilethe intermediate portions 19 are arranged in substantially parallelrelation with respect to each other. The extreme upper ends of the saidopposite sides diverge or flare outwardly as indicated at 20.

The member 16 is provided with a base portion 25 upon which the base 17rests, and to which it is secured by any suitable means, as by a rivet7, and with oppositely disposed upwardly extending end portions 26,which are situated in contact with or in adjacent relation to theopposite edges of the sides of member 15.

The upper portions of the opposite end parts 26 are provided with slitswhich extend inwardly from the opposite edges there of to form tongues28 and 29 which are bent inwardly and are situated upon opposite sidesofthe substantially parallel portions 19 of the opposite sides of themember 15. These tongues 28 and 29 are arranged in pairs as shown.

I The construction shown in Figs. 7, 8 and is quite similar to thatshown in Figs. 4, 5

and 6, the parts 15 and 16 being substantially the same. The member 15in said Figs. 7, 8

i and 9 is provided with portions 18, 19 and 20 which are substantiallythe same as the portions correspondingly numbered in Figs. 4, 5 and 6,while the part 16 is provided with opposite end portions 26corresponding to the end portions similarly numbered in Figs. 4, 5 and6. In the said Figs. 7, 8 and 9, however, the parts 15 and 16 aresecured together by soldering as indicated at 30 and the opposite endportions 26 of the member 16 are respectively provided with one pair of'tongues 31 only instead of two pairs as shown in the previous figuresof the drawing.

In the construction as shown in Figs. 11 to 13 inclusive, I haveprovided a spring contact device comprising two inner plate members 35.The lower half portions of said plates are fiat and are arranged incontact with each other as shown. These plates 35 diverge as indicatedat 36 for a short distance after which they normally converge as.indicated at 37 to points adjacent their outer ends. The extreme upperends ofthe said plates are flared outwardly as indicated at 38. Thecontact plug (not shown) which. is adapted to co-operate with thecontact device shown is adapted to be inserted into the upper end of thespace between converging portions 37 of the said plates. In order tocause the said converging portions 37 to contact with the opposite sidesof the plug at all'points thereof, I have provided the outer holding andcontrolling members 40 and 41, each of which consists of a plate bent sothat it is of U-shape in cross-section.

The opposite edges of the plates 35 are inclosed within these U-shapedmembers. The lower portions of the said U-shaped members fit closelyagainst the opposite sides of the lower portions of the plates 35 andare secured thereto and to each other by means of rivets 12.

The opposite sides of the upper portions of each of the members 40 andl1 are spaced from each other a distance as indicated and are slightlytapered as shown. The opposite sides of the upper portions of each ofthese members are slit so as to form tongues 45. These tongues arearranged in pairs and are situated upon the opposite sides of thediverging and converging portions at 36 and 37 of the spring platemembers 35.

Upon the insertion of acontact plug into W the space between theconverging portions 37 of the plate 35, the upper ends thereof will beseparated or pushed apart in opposition to their own spring action andalso in opposition to pressure and resistance of- 5 fered by the tongues45.

In all of the-constructions illustrated the tongues referred to andcomprised in the several constructions co-operate with the springportions of the inner plate members to prevent too great -a separationof the latter. The presence of these outside controlling andco-operating tongues causes the contact portions of the inner contactmembers to remain in close and uninterrupted contact with the contactplug inserted in the switch until the very moment of final separation ofthe said plug from the said spring contact member of the switch. Uponremoval of the plug'from the switch the separation takes placeinstantaneously, whereby sparking -is'prevented or reduced to anabsolute minimum.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is

1. In a spring contact device for elec tric switches, the combination ofan inner spring plate member having base and side portions, the saidside portions terminating in contact portions arranged in generalparallel relation with respect to each other and an outer plate memberhaving a baseportion extending transversely of the base portion of theinner member and hav- 2 ing its opposite end portions extending upwardlyin adjacent relation to the opposite edges of the side portions of saidinner mema her and terminating in means at their upper ends which aresituated on opposite sides of 139 the said contact portions and adaptedto contact therewith upon the insertion of a plug, substantially as andfor the purpose described.

2. In a spring contact device for electric switches, the combination ofa plate member having base and side portions the latter extendinguwardly from the opposite ends of said base and terminating in contactportions between which a contact plug is adapted to be inserted, amember having a base, portion connected with the base portion of'thesaid first named member and extending transversely thereof, and, thesaid second named member being provided with upwardly projectingportions at the opposite ends of its base in adjacent relation to theopposite edges of the side portions, said upwardly pro ecting portionsbeing provided with inwar ly extendin tongues arranged in pairs, thetongues 0% the respective pairs being situated upon opposite sides ofthe said contact portions and adapted to contact therewith upon theinsertion of a plug, and means for securing the said members together,substantially as described.

3. In a spring contact device for electric switches, the combination ofan inner sprin plate member having a base 5 side portions extendingupward y from the opposite ends of said base portion, said side portionshaving contact parts spaced from each other and arranged in generalparallel Mrelationbetween which a contact plug is adapted to be insertedand an outer plate member arranged at right angles to the said innerplate member and having a base portion situated underneath the baseportion of the said inner member, and having its opposite ends extendinupwardly in adjacent relation to the opposlte edges of the upwardlyextending sides of the said-inner member' and the said opposite endportions of the outer member being provided with slits to form tongues,which tongues are extended inwardly toward each other and are situatedupon opposite sides of and in adjacent relaortion an tion to the outersurfaces of the contact parts of the said inner member, substantially asdescribed.

4. In a spring contact device for electric switches, the combination ofan inner s ring plate member having a base portion an side portionsextending upwardly from the opposite ends of said base portion, saidside portions terminating in contact parts, which are arranged ingeneral parallel relation with respect to each other and between which acontact plug is adapted to be inserted, an outer plate arranged at rightangles to said inner plate member and having a base portion situatedunderneath the base portion of the said inner member and having 0 positeend portions extending upwardly in a jacent relation to the oppositeedges of the upward- 1y extending side portions of said inner member andthe said opposite end portions being provided with slits extendinginwardly from the opposite edges thereof to form tongues,

which tongues extend inwardly in pairs and in spaced relation to eachother and occupy positions upon opposite sides of the contact parts ofthe said inner member, and means for securing the said-inner and outermembers together, substantially as described.

,1), A spring contact device for electric switches comprising platespring contact parts in spaced relation to each other and two sets ofspring acting tongues situated in operative re ation to theoppositeedges of the plate spring contact parts, the said tonguesextending inwardly toward eachother and those of each set being situatedupon opposite sides of the opposite edge portions of the said platespring-contact parts and adapted to contact therewith upon the insertionof a plug, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoin as my invention, I have hereuntosubscribe my name this 31st day of January, A. D.,

WILLIAM J. 'GIBBONS. i

